To Unseat a Conqueror
To Unseat a Conqueror, also known as the Quest of the Forgotten Kingdom, is a quest instigated by a band of warriors, most associated through the Eternal Companions, that sought to liberate a region of Khanduras from the Baroness and her allied demon, Charun the Forgotten. Though small in scale this conflict remained a pivotal period in securing the safety of the denizens of Khanduras and solidifying the Quiet Peace. Background After the Skirmish of the Forgotten Tower and the end of the Reign of Anguish in 1265, the remaining Corrupted Rogues, now leaderless, flocked to an immortal being known as the Baroness. With Khanduras in a state of ruin and chaos, the Baroness had no one to hinder her from conquering small regions across the war-torn lands. She and the Corrupted Rogues would pillage and raid from the Rogue Monastery to the Gulf of Westmarch. The Baroness, though unhindered in her conquest, met light resistance a year later from a band of guerrilla warriors, later known as the Fallen Feathers, who were a surviving faction of members from the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. While the Baroness remained at large, almost no one outside of Khanduras paid attention to her actives due to the fact that she and her subordinates operated in small numbers; only the remaining members of the Sisterhood and a few leaders of the Eternal Companions knew of the Baroness and her malevolence, while many denizens of the surrounding kingdoms passed her off as a mere spectacle. Grand Marshal Jayla Songbird was among the few to have crossed paths and survive the Baroness and she made it her main objective to defeat the demoness. Before Jayla's execution at the hands of her Sisterhood in 1270, her friend and associate Alec Kyler learned all she knew regarding the Baroness. Much is unknown surrounding the demon known as Charun the Forgotten, but what is known is his desire to escape the Burning Hells and enter Sanctuary to find rune stones; why and for what purpose remained a mystery. In 1270, Dearak the Waverer of the Sahptev received a vision from an angel during his travels within the Oakoasis; in his vision the angel warned of a grave threat from the Burning Hells; the angelic voice spoke of Charun and his desire to collect and assimilate each of the magic runes in Sanctuary. Dearak shared his vision with the Overseer, a mystic with the power of clairvoyance, who revealed that runes were capable of magically inscribing symbols that would grant items magical properties, thus creating artifacts of immense power. However, the Overseer thwarted Dearak's desire to collect the runes from Oakoasis and stated it was a fool's errand. In the years following his vision, Dearak traveled abroad Sanctuary in search of knowledge regarding the runes. His studies lead him to his allies in the Western Kingdoms, the Eternal Companions, who utilized runes in their armor and weaponry to great effect. Dearak was also keen on collecting several runes that came into his possession, among the rarest was the Zod. Battles & Quests * A Dance of Sword and Shadow, January 22nd. * Lightfoot Massacre, March 15th. * Battle of Windy Hill, April 6th. * Battle of the Fallen Tower, April 13th. * Journey into the Shadowkeep, April 14th. * Chase of a Swift Messenger, April 20th. * Battle of the Broken Bell, April 21st. * Duel of the Demons, April 25th. * Tree Top Grotto Massacre, April 26th. * Attack on Irwindale, April 27th. * Battle of the Forgotten Kingdom, April 27th. * The Last Upon a Hill, April 27th. Several side quests took place during the conflict, including: * Destruction of the Bone Throne, March 22nd. * Journey to the Witchwood, March 25th-30th. * Passing through Deep Creek * Journey to Oakoasis * Meeting with King Charles * Tournament of the Black Bull's Head, April 15th. History Gathering at Morrell Falls A Dance of Sword and Shadow Realm of the Messenger Following the events at Morrell Falls, in which Alec was briefly tortured, Ikeda was challenged and Lissie was mutilated, many denizens of rural Entsteig began spreading word of the quest. Ikeda was lauded and declared as hero by commoners and nobilty alike, his actions turned into a western song called Katana. Before long, Ikeda's name and fortune became well known to the point that the Entsteig monarch sought an audience with Ikeda for congratulations. During and after Alec's recovery process at Fort Volonte, Joel and Jae were dispatched to begin recruiting mercenaries in within the fort's tavern, barracks and training yard. Meanwhile, the Rune Rogues celebrated Isham's successful victory over Tristan by bringing him to a nearby brothel. With Jae's healing, Alec was rejuvenated and capable to venture alone again; his first order was to send the Rune Rogues to track down Tristan. Terji and Deadox teamed together and scoured the northern regions of Entsteig in search, and recruited Mullins in the process; Howler traveled alone in the Sharval wilds in search; the remaining Rune Rogues remained in the city to keep a watchful eye. On Janurary 29th, Alec received a personal letter during his recovery from Maxmillian of Entsteig in regards to the missing whereabouts of Oviedo, the Gaunlet of Fate, leading to Alec deduce that the gauntlets were stolen in transit back to Entsteig. This lead Ikeda and Alec's faction to travel north to Entsteig's capital to inform King Charles. Yvette, Marshal of the Fallen Feathers, followed up on the whereabouts of the ancient gauntlet and learned that the caravan that transported it months prior had mysteriously been raided and its convoy missing or dead. This sudden news, while minor at the time, proved to be pivotal in the development of the Baroness' devious plan. Yvette returned to Eastgate Keep to make contact with the Sisterhood and warn the High Priestess of the bews surrounding the Oviedo. Meanwhile, Executrix Iseult and former Executor Adam began a recruitment processes for the organization from January through Feburary, internally and externally. He began by assorting a brigade of warriors to assist Ikeda and Alec in their quest while they were stationed at Fort Volonte; many previously retired veterans, including Isamu Ha, Chan Cao, Jae Karune, Mullins, and Joel joined the quest willingly. Adam remained seated in the main headquarters in Entsteig and kept tabs on all matters concerning the quest and thus provided resources and logistics to his allies, while Iseult lead the forces south into Khanduras to begin their quest to kill the Baroness. Iseult and Adam also faced heavy resistance from Rangvald, and warned Alec of the latter's intentions to terminate the quest. Council with Entsteig's Monarchy On Feburary 6th, the King's councilmen were approached by Alec under the guise of the Night Angel. Alec made contact with several key figures during his stay in the capital, as the news of his arrival attracted several friends and foes from his past; councilmen of the monarch were skeptical of Alec's news regarding the Baroness and did not appease his request to interfere in the affairs of their southern nation. On the night of Feburary 11th, Alec met publicly with Lady Melara of the Queensguard, both whom had met previously during the Skycutter Conflict; Melara was persuaded by Alec to inquire a mercenary group that could aid the denizens of Khanduras against the attacks. Meanwhile, Captain Kashya of the Sisterhood and an envoy were granted entrance into the capital and aloud an audience with King Charles and his councilmen. Alec was in attendance of this council as a spectator but was later called upon for confirmation of Kashya's stories of the Baroness. Kashya new the Night Angel by reputation and sought his advice in the matter, in which Alec laid down the potential threat of the Baroness wielding the ancient Gaunlet of Fate. The meeting ultimately concluded when King Charles promised to send aid to both the Sisterhood and the Eternal Companions in their quest in order to reclaim the gauntlet. Word regarding the council with King Charles reached Maxmillian, who's betrothal to Idril was based on the promise of the Skycutter reaching Queen Xaera in the Skovos Isles; he and Idril, who was pregnant, road to the capital and met with Lady Melara before confronting King Charles about the international agreement. Max was scrutinized infront of the entire court for having lost the ancient gauntlet, as it had been in safe keeping of the Zakarum church for countless ages. However, Idril was keen on lecturing the King and his councilmen regarding the pact instigated by the Night Angel, stating that the pact between Queen Xaera and Max during the Skycutter Conflict was upheld. King Charles rebuffed Idril and warned her of the political backlash toward the Askari for their claim over the angelic artifact Skycutter that resulted in the gauntlet being stolen. The council meeting was suddenly haulted, with King Charles and Lady Idril forming a bitterness toward each other. On February 19th, King Charles once again held council upon his throne, in attendance were a great many people, including Melara, Max, Idril, Kashya and Alec, as well as Ikeda and Katheryne who arrived the same day to support Alec. After hours of debate a final decision was made when King Charles ordered Max to send their own bannermen south to aid the Sisterhood at defeating the Baroness and reclaiming Oviedo for the monarchy. King Charles also ordered a small faction of soldiers and cavalry to be lead by Sir Noah, Second Lieutenant of the Royal Army, to join Max's forces. Meanwhile, Alec sent Madam Xiaolin Peng, a highly trained diplomat of the Eternal Companions, to the Skovos Isles to make contact with Queen Xaera. Max's right-hand Captain Mordred and fifty soldiers under his house guard joined Captain Kashya and her envoy during their departure to Fort Doyle, along with food and supplies. The convoy was lead by Ikeda and several warriors loyal to his cause. Max remained at the capital where he was greatly criticized by the councilmen for losing the Gauntlet of Fate and trading the angelic artifact for a bride; However, Princess Catalina, having befriended Idril months prior, unprecedentedly raised awareness of Idril's connection to Skovos Isles and prompted her father to request aid from Queen Xaera to lend support and reclaiming the gauntlet. King Charles took his daughter's suggestioned and sent a swift messenger to the Skovos Isles to ask Queen Xaera for a diplomatic policy should they aid Entsteig in finding and returning the gauntlet; Xaera responded by establishing an appeasement between the Askari and the nation of Entsteig. On Feburary 23, the convoy reached Fort Doyle and was warmly received by Executrix Iseult, the first meeting held by the newly appointed leader of the Eternal Companions. After a large feast was served, Iseult and former executor Adam conveyed their concerns about the nature of the quest and the dangers of traveling to Khanduras to face off against the Baroness. Many that attended the meeting spoke in favor of helping the Sisterhood and the denizens of Khanduras, alas the members of the Eternal Companions unanimously swore to defeat the Baroness and purge her corruption, and a coalition force was established under Commander Ikeda, with Alec serving as his first lieutenant and Executrix Isuelt acting as benefactor. A social gathering was held for the rest of the day and honors were held to Sir Noah, Captain Mordred and Captain Kashya for their international support. On February 27th, Ikeda and Alec traveled to the capital once more and were received by King Charles. The two held council with the monarch in regards of the hiring the King's most valiant warriors. After sharing a feast and several drinks together, Charles, Ikeda and Alec drunkenly argued about Hell and Heaven and how both have crippled the nations of Sanctuary. After hours of idol chat and banter, Charles aloud Alec to privaetly visit Eric Van Der Loo who was incacerated beneath the castle; Alec sought information on a mercenary group that could lend support in Khanduras, in which Eric recommended the Blackmarch Marauders. Lightfoot Massacre Hidden Agendas Sentries of Deep Creek Nearly a week after venturing into Deep Creek, Alec and his companions took their caravan south through the mountain canyons and into Oakoasis, home of Krea, and there she introduced Alec to the shamans of her tribe as well as The Overseer, a mysterious man who acted as a sentinel of the forest and its unpretentious denizens. During their journey into the forest Alec aided Krea in hunting a stag, whilst Ladislav and Lupita scouted ahead. Horvath and Krea developed a close friendship during their traveling through the forest, and before long they both became infatuated with one another without reciprocating their feelings. It was during a private meeting held between Alec and The Overseer when the latter's wisdom was revealed about the nature of magic runes; The Overseer saw through clairvoyance that Alec was a mind reader, and that he would come to meet him regarding the runes, alas he prepared for many weeks to block Alec from telepathically entering his mind. Despite this, The Overseer showed no resentment or hostility to Alec, and willingly revealed to him the runes to create an ancient weapon called Heart of the Oak. Alec acquired the runes and in return he swore to never return to Oakoasis at the request of The Overseer. Krea was reluctant to leave her home and continue forward with Alec and his company but was convinced by Horvath and later The Overseer. The Rogue Nation On March 13th, Ikeda was accompanied by Khardan, Jae, his brother Chan, his wife Katheryne, and Alec, as well as Alec's associates Terji, Ladislav and Lupita to the Rogue Monastery now reestablished by the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. The company beheld the tragedy and sorrow that lingered from the Reign of Anguish, despite the keep no longer defiled by demons or corrupted, while the inhabitants dwelt in melancholy. There was glory to be found in the Rogue Monastery, however; the rogues were being heavily trained in combat and the keep was under construction to rebuild. High Priestess Akara and several of her kin welcomed Ikeda with open arms and held council with him and Jae from dusk until dawn. Meanwhile, Alec, Katheryne and Khardan handled the logistics and costs of the quest To Unseat a Conquer with Captain Kashya and Marshal Yvette. , Chan and Alec journey into the catacombs below the Rogue Monastery.]] On March 22nd, Ikeda was accompanied by Alec and his brother Chan to the catacombs beneath the Cathedral in the Rogue Monastery. The trio found the Bone Throne once owned by the late Andariel, and together they caste a magic tome bestowed by the High Priestess Akara to destroy the throne room; Chan avoided the throne room to spare himself of the gruesome sight that he feared would trigger him into madness. With Alec's guidance with the tome, Ikeda used the magic to implode the throne room unto its own destruction, alas burying the last remnants of Andariel's evil. When the trio returned to the surface they were greeted by a bitter sweet reception by the Sisterhood for their admiration. Three Days of Valor April marked the high point of the conflict as multiple fights and skirmishes broke out between the minions aligned to The Baroness and the coalition force commanded by the leaders of the Eternal Companions. April 6th marked a minor victory for Executrix Iseult against the Khazra clans, though pivotal in the fight against the Baroness, as the Battle of Windy Hill became the bloodiest battle with major losses from the Khazra. However, several concurrent events transpired during the conflict within a period of three consecutive days that completely changed the tides of war. In the days proceeding the Three Days of Valor, forces under the Eternal Companions remained divided, with Executrix Iseult's forces returning to the Rogue Monastery for sanctum and Commander Ikeda's splintered in Entsteig and regions of Khanduras to find the missing Gauntlet of Fate. Tristant the Revelator, who intially was an enemy to the Eternal Companions and a simple pawn in the conflict, proved to be crucially influential to their leaders; Alec and his associates sought to use Tristan for his knowledge of hidden magic runes as well as his expertise in their usage, alas he was tasked in aiding Iseult in her findings of runes and their utilization. Meanwhile, the losses during the Battle of Windy Hill proved to be merely a ploy by the Baroness to lead her enemies into a trap, as she was willing to sacrifice the Khazra. Following the battle, several members of the Fallen Feathers were hunted and killed, and those who caught wind of the Baroness' whereabouts were eliminated before they were able to send word back to their leaders. Elsewhere, The Gauntlet of Fate was bestowed upon a clan of warlocks by the Baroness in order to harness its powers and open a portal to hell to summon powerful demon Charun the Forgotten. As the Eternal Companions scoured for more magic runes across Khanduras in order to enhance their soldiers, the Baroness and her minions also began utilizing the runes they weilded to combat against their foes. April 13th, The Fallen Tower Ambush Redford's Plateau proved to be a pivotal vantage point for The Baroness and her corrupted rogues to spring an ambush upon the Eternal Companions, as the forces under Executrix Iseult combined with the Fallen Feathers under Marshal Yvette marched through the valleys toward the Rogue Monastery after the Battle of Windy Hill. The early morning was foggy and dim, with several of Yvette's scouts spreading thin to cover more ground. The corrupted rogues used this as an advantage to kill off the scouts one-by-one. The Baroness captures and tortures the Runesmith for information regarding the magic runes during the Fallen Tower Ambush.]] Tristan and his close associate Vargas, who was a master blacksmith with skills with runes, traveled alongside the Executrix and swore to aid the Eternal Companions in their quest to provide runic weapons and armor to their warriors. The two recommended passing through the canyon beneath the plateau as it provided several key harvests of magic runes. Above the canyon and atop the plateau remained a dormant tower long abadoned. Unbeknownst to the Eternal Companions was the fact that the Baroness rigged the tower with chemical explosives to detonate. As the coalition of warriors set up camp to rest and feast, Iseult ordered half to begin harvesting the many runes within the canyon. With the Eternal Companions unprepared, the Baroness activated her ambush upon Redford's Plateau. A volley of arrows was released upon the idol warriors, killing dozens, and seconds later the tower exploded and collapse from the plateau and into the canyon below where many helpless warriors were crushed. Chaos ensued as the tower not only crushed countless unsuspecting people in the canyon and divided the army into two. The Baroness, along with warlock leader Valeska, lead a charge into the eastern side of the canyon with the corrupted rogues and the undead under her command. annihilates Jeffrey as the battle ends, and later resurrects him as an undead minion.]] The ambush proved to be devastating against the Eternal Companions; multiple warriors fell at the hands of the Baroness and her minions. Among the fallen was Iseult's husband Gavin, crushed by the Fallen Tower as it impacted the canyon. Several officers and key members within the fight also perished during the ambush, including Ryan and Jeffrey of the Eternal Companions, and Entsteig loyalists such as Captain Mordred and Sir Noah. April 14th,' '''The' '''Gateway April 15th, Tournament of the Black Bull's Head In an effort to prove his valor to the monarchy, Sir Maxmillian was obligated into particpating in a great tournament within Entsteig's capital, with Queen Katriya and''' Princess Catalina in attendance. Those competing were the Queensguard and Kingsguard, as well as many regional clans. During the event, the Rune Rogues, with the help of the Thieves Guild, discreetly stole a large stash of magic runes within the castle dungeon. Among those in attendance of the tournament were Ikeda and his loyal followers, including Alec, Jae, Tomaka, and many others; Katheryne arrived shortly before the jousting started as she and her associates had journeyed on a side quest inside a dangerous cavern earlier that day. Maxmillian was among the first to be unseated during the main joust, and was forced to visit a healer when his squire saw how badly he had sustained injuries; Alec later payed Max a visit at a tavern over food and drinks. Later, Max was summoned to court by King Charles to face punish for losing in the tournament in spite for losing the gauntlet, and the council ruled that Max was unworthy of his champion status. ''Sacrament from Oblivion'' ''Into the Storm'' ''The Last Upon a Hill'''''